Tomar Power Station Museum Centre

Central Elétrica preserves equipment for electricity generation by waterpower, steam and diesel. The first hydroelectric power station on the site was bult by the company Cardoso d'Argent in 1902 to supply electricity in the ancient city of Tomar. The plant was damaged in a flood but it was expanded after 1916 and continued operating until the 1960s. In 1976 it hosted a pioneering exhibition of industrial archaeology. The long buildings and their tall chimney stand on a narrow peninsula between the river Nabão and a water-power canal. Other buildings in this industrial zone include a foundry and a locksmith’s shop. A steam turbine was added in 1919. The Francis and Meyer turbines of 1924 and 1944 survive with their alternators alongside a Winterthur diesel generator installed in 1927 and historical control equipment. The buildings are preserved by the Municipality of Tomar in their original condition with the addition of graphic displays